Tile apparatus



B. J. RUTGERS July 3, 1956 TILE APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 7, 1955 INVENTOR en am/n J. BY

Ru fears 2 A Horn 5 B. J. RUTGERS 2,752,656 TILE APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 3, 1956 Filed Feb. 7, 1955 for/7e 0% INVENTOR Beg Y fiooooooo 0min J. ufgers 5 July 3, 1956 B. J. RUTGERS 2,752,656

TILE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 7, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR, Begum/n J Ru fgers -BY 7 MW fforne x TILE APPARATUS Benjamin .7. Rutgers, Holland, Mich., assignor to W. E. Dunn Mfg. Company, Holland, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application February 7, 1955, Serial No. 486,661 1 Claim. (Cl. 25-42) This invention relates to a novel mechanism for applying to tile, which is made from a cementitious composition including an aggregate and Portland cement or equivalent hardening binder, an outside covering of a different selected coloring than the color of the tile, which is applied as a final step in the production of the tile, the tile each with its colored facing being produced in a continuous operation.

Preferably also, such differently colored and differently appearing outside face will cover the outer face of the tile except a narrow zone at one longitudinal edge and a like narrow zone at one end. Such tile when applied to an under support, for example, the side of a dwelling house or the like may be cemented or otherwise secured to the under base and laid in courses, the ends and edges of the tile being also cemented together with a thin layer of suitable cement. This gives an appearance, there being the proper outside selected colored surfaces, of courses of brick or the like, the narrow zones at one edge and at one end of each tile cooperating with the other side and end of the tile to which the colored surface extends to present the appearance or" mortar-laid brick or tile. Such tile, therefore, in use may be used to refinish dwelling houses and the like at the outer sides thereof with the tile of my invention taking the place of asbestos shingle coverings, now largely used and other coverings, greatly enhancing the appearance of the dwelling house and at the same time protecting it against action of the elements.

In my invention 1 have provided an attachment to a regular tile making machine, placed on the machine beyond the immediate tile making structure which, as the tile come thereto, and passes thereunder a thin coating of, preferably, a cementitious colored mixture is applied over the upper surfaces of the tile for the major portions of such surfaces but leaving the previously mentioned narrow zones one at one longitudinal edge and one at one end of each tile.

An understanding of the invention and a preferred embodiment thereof may be had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary of the tile laid one above in use.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse vertical section substantially on the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a tile making machine in which my invention is incorporated.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section substantially on the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated showing the upper part of the tile making ma chine at the place where my invention is located.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section substantially on the plane of line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the color depositing hopper and the mechanism associated therewith in my invention.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a section of the illustration of several courses the other as they will appear Patented July 3, 1956 machine showing one of the tile carrying pans or pallets, their association with the conveyor of the machine and the dividing bars by means of which a plurality of the tile members are made with each pallet or pan.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a tile as made on said machine, and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section substantially on the plane of line 9-9 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction indicated.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings.

In the art of tile making, an endless conveyor chain as indicated at 1, having upper and lower generally horizontal runs, has attached thereto at intervals in the length of the chain, transverse partition members generally of an inverted T-shape form in cross section, the base 2 of which has a pivotal connection to the chain and a vertical partition 3 extending upwardly from and integral with the base. With my invention at the upper end of the partition 3 a horizontal thin flange 4 is integrally connected extending from the partition 3 in the direction of the travel of the chain. Each partition 3 and its flanges 4 are vertically slotted as at 5 (Fig. 7), a greater portion of each flange 4 at one side of the slot 5 in the partition 3 being removed so as to widen the upper end of each slot 5 by such additional portion of each flange 4 which is removed.

Each partition at a distance below its upper end and over the base 2 is provided with transverse shallow channels 6 secured to the base 2, the upper edges of the flanges of which support a pallet or pan 7 of flat metal, the length of which is such to extend from one partition 3 to the next succeeding partition. The pans may also be supported midway between their ends by other transverse channel bars 8 pivotally connected to the chain 1 in the same manner as the base of each partition member is connected.

Two longitudinal vertical sides 9 and 9a forming a part of the supporting framework of the machine permanently secured to and extending above horizontal upper frame members 10 of such frame are located so that the ends of the channels 6 and 8 are closely adjacent the inner sides of the side members 9 and 9a but may pass freely between them in the movement of the conveyor chain which chain in its upper run is located between the frame bars 10.

One of said side bars 9 has an inwardly extending flange 12 of the same width and thickness as the flanges 4 previously described and lying in the same horizontal plane therewith.

A plurality of spaced longitudinal bars 11 are located over the pans or pallets 7 which pass thereunder. Bars 11 are parallel to the sides 9 and W1, each at its upper edge has a laterally extending flange 12 which lies in the same horizontal plane with the flange also numbered 12 at the upper end of the flange 9a. All of said flanges extend in the same direction. The location of the pans or pallets 7 below the upper ends of the bars 11 governs the thickness of the tiles which are made. The width of the upper portions of the slots 5 in the end partitions 3 and flanges 4 is equal to the combined width of the bars 11 and flanges 12 extending therefrom, while the widths of the lower portions of said slots 5 are substantially equal to but slightly greater than the thickness of the bars 11. When the conveyor chain 1 is moved carrying the partitions 3 therewith the lower narrower portions of the slots 5 embracing the vertical bars 11 permit passage of said partitions while the flanged upper end portions at 12 of 3 11 which at their upper ends connect with sleeves 13 through which horizontal cross rods 15 pass, extending between the side plates 9 and 9a. The bars 11 with their flanges 12 are held substantially rigid and immovable with respect to the frame of the machine on which the conveyor chain is mounted.

A hopper 16 into which the cementitious material from which the tile are made is mounted on the frame of the machine over the pans or pallets 7 which pass underneath the lower end of the hopper. The lower end of the hopper is open whereby cementitious material is delivered to such pallets. The pallets are filled between the sides 9 and 9a and the bars 11 and between succeeding end partitions 3 and tile, such as indicated at 18 (Fig. 8), are made. Four of such tile in the structure shown are made on and over each of the pallets 7. Each tile at its upper side is substantially at the level of the upper sides of flanges 4 and 12 except at one longitudinal side and one end of each tile, shallow depressions in depth equal to the thickness of said flanges and in width equal to the width thereof are formed. For example, the longitudinal side edge shallow depression 19 at one side and the shallow transverse depression 20 at one end of a tile at 18, as shown in Fig. 8, are made.

As in machines of this type and character, the cementitious material is tamped by tamping bars 21 (Fig. 4) and thereafter smoothed and troweled by rocking trowel bars 22 mounted on and operated by transverse shafts 23 above them and supported in such upper position. Such shafts 23 are continuously driven in the operation of the machine by any suitable power. The detail of the tamping and smoothing or troweling, forming no part of the present invention and being well known, need not be further described. It is sufficient to say that in accordance with well known practice the cementitious material is tamped to proper density and smoothed at its upper side, such that the planes of the upper side of the tile 18 are substantially in the same horizontal plane as the upper sides of the flanges 4 and 12 except for the depressed zones 19 and 20, one at the longitudinal edge and one at one end in each tile.

Beyond the smoothing and troweling bars 22 a second hopper 24 is rigidly secured to the frame members 10. Such hopper is open at its upper end and is adapted to receive a plastic mixture at 25 which also may be of a cementitious character mixed with which is any desired color. Two sides of the hopper 24 are inclined downwardly and inwardly toward each other as at 24a (Fig. 4) connecting with a bottom 26 to the hopper, which has an outlet opening therethrough extending substantially the length of the base between the opposed sides of the hopper transversely of the machine. The base 26 is located above two flat bars 27 and 28. The bar 27 is nearest to the smoothing bars 22 and is of such a thickness that its lower side comes to the upper sides of the tile 18 and the upper sides of .the flanges 4 and 12 of the partitions and bars previously described. The bars 27 and 28 are spaced so as to provide an outlet for the material 25. The other bar 28 is of a thickness less than the thickness of the bar 27 such that the cementitious coloring matter 25 may be deposited against the upper sides of the tile 18 in a thin layer corresponding to the ditference in thickness dimensions of the two bars 27 and 28, except at places in the length and at the under side of the bar 23 where transverse shallow and flat ribs 29, integral with the bar 28, extend downwardly so as to be in substantial contact with the flanges 12 of the bars 11 when passing thereover.

By such construction each tile at its upper side has deposited thereon a thin layer of the colored cementitious material 25. It will coalesce with cementitious material which makes the tile 18 and will set and harden therewith covering such upper face of each tile except where the flanges 4 and 19 in association with the ribs 29 prevent deposit of the cementitious material 25 in the recess at 19 and 20, one at each longitudinal edge of eachtile and one at each end thereof.

In the lower end portion of the hopper 24 a horizontal shaft 31 is mounted for rotation extending transversely of the machine. Within the hopper at the lower outlet portion thereof a feeding vane 32 is secured which as the shaft 31 is belt driven by means of a belt around a pulley 33 at the outer end of the shaft 31 in a counterclockwise direction, insures that the material at 25 will be pushed downwardly and forwardly so that eachtile will be covered as described as it passes underneath the lower bar 28 of hopper 24,

In Figs. 1 and 2 the use of said tile in covering a supporting surface, asfat 34, is shown. If the support at 34 is a side of a dwelling house or the like at its outer side the tile will be laid in courses and cemented by a thin cementitious material 35 of a suitable character, which also will be between adjacent ends of tile in a course and adjacent upper and lower sides of the superimposed courses of tile. The exposed portions at the zones 19 and 20 will have a color of the natural cementitious material used in making the tile, while the remaining outer surface of the tile will carry the outer surface color 30. This presents an attractiveappearance. The outer surface 30 may be colored any way desired so as to simulate many different colors of various type of brick or tile or the like. The contrasting colors of the material from which the tile is made and the outer face can give the effect of a desired color of brick laid in mortar, the exposed portions of the tile at the zones 19 and 20 providing the mortar effect.

The invention is practical and useful and has proven exceptionally satisfactory. The thickness of the outer face at 30 may not exceed little if any more than 1 of an inch.

The invention is defined in the appended claim and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within its scope.

I claim:

In a machine of the class described having a longir tudinally movable conveyor, spaced pallets with spaced transverse partitions connected to said conveyor at the ends of said pallets, and fixed longitudinal bars over said pallets, said partitions having slots for passing said bars, and fixed sides at the ends of said partitions, the improvement comprising flanges, one for each of said bars and one of said sides extending laterally in the same direction from the upper edges of said bars and fixed sides, flanges at the upper ends of said transverse partitions extending in the direction of movement of said conveyor and located in the same plane as said flanges of said bars and side when passing thereby, cementitious material continuous depositing means over the conveyor, at the forward end portions of said bars and between said sides, to deposit said material at the upper sides of said pallets in succession between the bars and said sides and between said partitions, and means for compacting and smoothing said material at the upper sides thereof to locate said upper sides in the same plane with the upper sides of all of said flanges whereby, on each pallet, a plurality of elongated tiles are produced, each at one longitudinal side and at one end thereof have a depressed zone in dimensions having a depth equal to the thickness of said flanges and a length equal to the length and width of said tile.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,782,413 Dietrichs Nov. 25, 1930 1,792,844 Knecht Feb. 17, 1931 2,015,084 McQuade Sept. 24, 1935 2,545,366 Mandryl Mar. 13, 1951 2,553,481 Sharples May 15, 1951 

